Garment hanger



F. KEY ET AL Sept. 3, 1935.

GARMENT HANGER Filed May 18, 1933 Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT HANGER I Frank Key and Elvin S. Land, Neosho, Mo.

Application May 18, 1933, Serial No. 671,750

2 Claims.

\ provide a garment hanger wherein one of the jaws employed is extended and bent to form a hook and the other of said jaws is extended to form a combined thumb lug and stop for limiting opening movement of the jaws.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment hanger, the jaws of which will engage the cloth of a garment in such a manner that danger of mutilation of the garment will be practically eliminated.

And a still further object of the invention is to provide a garment hanger which will be characterized by the utmost simplicity so that cheapness in manufacture will be a keynote.

Other and incidental objects of the invention, not discussed hereinbefore will be apparent as the description of the invention continues.

In the drawing forming part of our application, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a pair of our improved garment hangers in position on a coat hanger and. supporting a pair of trousers.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of our device taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, V

Figure 3 is a front view of our device,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral I indicates a conventional wire coat hanger which is provided with a straight bottom portion 2. Our improved garment hanger comprises companion jaws which are indicated in general by the numerals 3 and 4. The jaws are formed from strips of relatively thick metal and, as best seen in Figure 2 of the drawing, the jaw 3 is provided with a slightly inwardly inclined garment-engaging portion 5 and a straight central portion 6. The jaw 3 is bent upon itself, at its upper end portion, to define a hook I terminating in a straight end portion 8. The jaw 3 is provided medially of the central portion 6 with upstanding parallel ears 9. The ears are preferably formed on the jaw integrally, the jaw being stamped from a single piece of metal and. the ears being afterwards bent into the desired position. The jaw 3 is provided, at the lower end of the central portion 6, and medially of its width, with 10 a loop In which is preferably formed by slitting the jaw longitudinally and pressing out the portion between the slits. Carried on the inner face of the garment-engaging portion 5 is a pad II which is formed of soft cushioning material. The

pad I i will serve to prevent accidental tearing of the garment abutting the jaws.

The companion jaw 4 is mounted to cooperate with jaw 3 and is provided with an inclined garment-engaging portion I2 which is adapted to coact with the garment-engaging portion 5 of the jaw 3. A pad i3, which is of felt, or other soft material, is placed on the inner face of the jaw 4 and, like the pad II, will protect the garment from accidental tearing. The jaw 4 is provided with a straight central portion M which is slightly inclined inwardly and is adapted to lie between the ears 9 on the jaw 3. The central portion I4 is limited against lateral movement by the ears 9. The jaw 4 also includes a handle portion l5 which is bent outwardly at a point slightly above the ears 9. The handle portion I5 is adapted for. manual engagement so that, when said handle is engaged, the garment-engaging portions 5 and I2 may be separated for engaging the fabric of a garment to be supported.

A loop IB, of similar construction to the loop l0 and disposed oppositely thereto, is formed in the straight central portion M of the jaw 4.

Connecting the jaws 3 and 4 is a. coiled spring I1 which is disposed between the ears 9 and between the straight central portions 6 and H! of the jaws 3 and 4, respectively. The coiled spring I! is provided with arms l8 and I9 at each end thereof, the arm l8 extending through the loop 16 and the arm I!) extending through the loop I0. It will be seen, therefore, that the tension of the spring ll will prevent spreading of the jaws 3 and 4 at the central portions, and the body of the spring will serve as a spacer for spacing the central portions of the jaws a suitable distance apart. The spring I! will, moreover, provide a fulcrum, or pivot, for the central portion M of the jaw 4 to rock upon. The central portion will,

of course, be maintained in position with the coils of the spring by virtue of the fact that the arm I8 is secured in the loop l6 and exerts a continuous downward tension upon the portion Id of the jaw 4. It will be seen that the jaw 4 is operatively connected with the jaw 3 but is shiftable independently thereof. Great flexibility in operation of the device is, therefore, permitted. It is obvious that the spring ll effectually connects the jaws.

In use, after a coatand vest have been suspended on the coat hanger l, and it is desired to support the trousers on the hanger, the garmentengaging portions are spread apart for engagement with the cuff of the trousers, when the handle portion of the jaw 4 is released for permitting the jaws 3 and A tightly to clamp the cuffin position. The jaws are of such length that the entire cufi will be grasped thereby. Danger of slipping of the cuffs from the hanger is thereby eliminated. The trousers are then suspended on the lower portion 2 of the hanger I by means of the hoox l whichis engaged over said lower portion. It. will be seen that the trousers will be effectually supported so that the crease thereof may be maintained in good shape and the trousers may be carried, together with the coat and vest, so that danger of misplacing said trousers from the coat and vest will be largely eliminated. As best seen in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing,

. the hook I is so formed that a crotch I will be defined. The lower portion 2 of the hanger i will engage in the crotch and will effectually limit the garment hangers against longitudinal shifting movement on the coat hanger. Danger of said hangers shifting toward each other is thereby prevented.

Attention is invited to the fact that, as the hook l is provided with a straight end portion 8, said straight end portion will serve as a stop and therefore limit inward swinging travel of the handle l5. Undue straining of the spring IT, with danger of displacement thereof from between the jaws, will be practically eliminated.

Attention is further invited to the fact that, as the garment-engaging portions 5 and I2 are provided with pads H and I3, danger of mutilation or tearing of the cuff of the trousers will be practically eliminated.

The device may be made with the utmost facility, it being necessary only to stamp the two jawsfrom sheet metal, provide the spring, and place the parts in the desired assembled position.

It is believed that the device may be manufactured cheaply on a large scale and it is furthermorebelieved that the device will find a ready use.

Having thus described our invention, we claim: 1. A device of the class described including jaws, one of said jaws being provided with cars, a loop formed on the jaw, the other of said jaws being provided with a loop and a handle portion and being positioned between the ears, said ears limiting said second-mentioned jaw against lateral displacement, aspring positioned between the ears and between the jaws and having its end portions extending through the loops for operatively connecting the jaws, and pads carried by the jaws and adapted for engagement with an article. I

2.'A garment hanger including jaws, one of said jaws being formed with ears straddling the other of said jaws for preventing lateral displacement thereof, loops formed on the jaws, a spring disposed between the jaws and having end portions extending through the loops, said spring operatively connecting the jaws and providing a fulcrum whereby the jaws may be rocked with respect to each other, said jaws cooperating for engaging an article.

1 FRANK KEY. [L. s.] ELVIN S. LAND. '[L.S.] 

